Japan’s latest push to shake up the digital landscape is gaining traction with new regulations targeting browser and web app competition. As part of the country’s Smartphone Act, tech giants like Apple and Google are facing demands to create a more open ecosystem, which could signal the end of Apple’s long-standing browser engine restrictions on iOS.
According to Open Web Advocacy, a nonprofit that contributed to the report, Apple must lift all browser engine restrictions on iOS by December 2025. This change will allow browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, and Opera to use their own engines, a shift from Apple’s current policy.
Historically, Apple has enforced the use of its WebKit engine, citing reasons like enhanced security and better user experience. Apple claims that WebKit is tailored for iOS, ensuring a smooth, secure browsing experience. However, critics argue that this limits user choices and stifles the development of alternative, secure engines. Safari, Apple’s in-house browser, has also been a significant revenue source due to the lack of competition.
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Union recently forced Apple to relax some restrictions, yet the company remains resistant to allowing engines like Google’s Blink and Mozilla’s Gecko. Apple often refers to security and privacy as the reasons for maintaining its policies.
The new rules under Japan’s Smartphone Act make it clear that vendors must not impose unreasonable technical barriers or financial burdens on app providers using alternative engines. This act also involves the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA), which prevents companies from blocking or locking competitors out of necessary OS functions.
The MSCA also demands that users be given clear choices for browsers and other software right from the start, meaning Apple must prompt these options after initial activation. By December 2025, Apple will need to open its system to third-party browser engines, marking a significant shift in the tech landscape.
This change is poised to alter the digital ecosystem, promising more competition and choice for users while challenging established industry norms.
